Device for conversion of a kamado cooker to a pizza oven

ABSTRACT

Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device are disclosed. Certain embodiments detachably mount within a kamado-styled cooker such that the lid of the cooker rests at an angle on the top of the device and thereby “closes off” and defines a cooking space within the interior that takes advantage of the pizza oven-like features of a kamado cooker. With an embodiment of the solution installed in a kamado cooker, an open doorway or window is defined for allowing a user to insert a pizza into the cooking space and place the pizza on a pizza stone held by the device. Embodiments allow for cooking to occur simultaneously via conductive, convective and radiant thermal energy transfer.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to outdoor cooking solutions and, moreparticularly, to a novel system for converting a kamado-style cookerinto a pizza oven.

The best pizzas are cooked in a brick pizza oven. Brick pizza ovens,more technically termed “retained heat ovens,” vary in size and design,but share some common basic features. For example, a brick pizza ovengenerally includes a hearth (the cooking surface, commonly made of afire-resistant masonry) with a dome of refractory material positionedover the top. An oven landing surface leads to the interior of the pizzaoven through an opening in the refractory dome. Typically, a flue ispositioned near the rear of the refractory dome. The overall look of abrick pizza oven is similar to an igloo, as one of ordinary skill in theart would acknowledge.

The way a typical brick pizza oven is designed enables it to leverageradiant, conduction and convection heat transfer to achieve a veryefficient, heat-balanced cooking environment. A fire is built andmaintained on the hearth itself until the hearth and refractory dome arecompletely heated throughout. A pizza is placed directly on the hearthand is cooked, usually very quickly, as a result of being in directcontact with the hearth (conduction), proximate to the fire and the hotrefractory dome (radiation), and exposed to hot air circulating throughthe dome-shaped oven by virtue of the flue.

Advantageously, kamado-style cookers incorporate some of the samegeometry as a typical brick pizza oven, namely, a dome-shaped interiordefined by a ceramic top (i.e. a refractory dome) that is fitted with adamper (i.e., a flue). Consequently, users of kamado-style cookerscommonly place a “pizza stone” on the cooking grates of their grills inorder to create a sort of hearth for cooking a pizza. While such anapproach provides for use of a kamado-style cooker to cook a pizza, thesolution is less than optimal for at least the reason that the cookertop has to be opened to access the pizza and closed to cook the pizza.And, as one of ordinary skill in the art of kamado-style cookers wouldacknowledge, opening and closing the top of a kamado-style cooker allowsfor the uncontrolled escape of thermal energy, thereby working againstthe goal of creating a thermally balanced cooking environment akin to apizza oven.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system and device thataddresses the shortcomings of the prior art, such as those outlinedabove, and provides for a user of a kamado-style cooker to create acooking environment that more closely approximates a traditional brickpizza oven.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversiondevice are disclosed. Certain embodiments are configured to bedetachably mounted within a kamado-styled cooker such as, but notlimited to, a KamadoJoe® or Big Green Egg® ceramic cooker. When mountedin a kamado cooker, an embodiment of the solution will seat in the bodyof the cooker on its lower edge and receive the lid of the cooker toseat on its upper edge. In this way, embodiments of the solution providea way for the lid of a cooker to rest at an angle on the top of thedevice and “close off” and define a cooking space within the interiorthat takes advantage of the pizza oven-like features of a kamado cooker.With an embodiment of the solution installed in a kamado cooker, an opendoorway or window is defined for allowing a user to insert a pizza intothe cooking space and place the pizza on a pizza stone held by thedevice and suspended over heat source in the body of the cooker (e.g., acharcoal fire).

An exemplary embodiment of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversiondevice according to the solution has a substantially vertical surfacecomprising an upper edge and a lower edge and defining an outer diameterand an inner diameter. The upper edge defines a first plane thatintersects a second plane defined by the lower edge (thereby generatingan overall wedge-like appearance when viewed from its side, however,from a top view the device may appear substantially circular). A thermalenergy and smoke distribution structure resides within the innerdiameter of the substantially vertical surface and further defines aninnermost diameter. A plurality of pizza stone support tabs extend fromthe thermal energy and smoke distribution structure into a space definedby the innermost diameter. Similarly, a plurality of heat deflectorsupport tabs extend from the thermal energy and smoke distributionstructure into the space defined by the innermost diameter and beneaththe pizza stone support tabs. An open doorway is provided in thesubstantially vertical surface for receiving a pizza and providing auser access to the cooking space within the device/cooker combination.The cooking space is defined when the lower edge of the exemplaryembodiment is seated along the top edge of a body portion of thekamado-style cooker and a lid portion of the kamado-style cooker isseated on the upper edge of the exemplary device because the bodyportion of the cooker, the lid portion of the cooker and thesubstantially vertical surface of the exemplary embodiment cooperate todefine an enclosed cooking space such that a food item may be insertedinto the enclosed cooking space through the open doorway. To prevent theexemplary embodiment from shifting or sliding within the body of thecooker, a lower lip extending beneath the lower edge and configured tonest within the body portion of the kamado-style cooker may be included.

The exemplary embodiment may further include a removable pizza stoneseated on the plurality of pizza stone support tabs (i.e., the removablepizza stone sits or rests on the tabs such that it is suspended over thethermal energy and smoke source) and a heat deflector plate seated onthe plurality of heat deflector plate support tabs. The heat deflectorplate may be comprised of multiple pieces, such as semi-circular halves,and may be removable. The thermal energy and smoke distributionstructure within the exemplary embodiment may comprise one or more portsconfigured to allow thermal energy and smoke to rise through thestructure (and thereby come into contact with a pizza on the pizzastone). The exemplary embodiment may also include a heat shield featureextending over the open doorway, the lower surface of which may bedefined by an oven landing feature. The exemplary embodiment may alsoinclude one or more handles extending outward from the outer diameter ofthe substantially vertical surface (i.e., on the exterior of the device)and, further, may include one or more cutout features positioned alongthe innermost diameter of the thermal energy and smoke distributionstructure. The exemplary embodiment may further include a verticalbackstop feature positioned along the innermost diameter defined by thethermal energy and smoke distribution structure (for preventing a pizzafrom being inadvertently pushed off the back of the pizza stone).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a kamado cooker pizza ovenconversion device according to the solution, shown installed on a kamadocooker with an open lid;

FIG. 2A illustrates the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , with thelid of the kamado cooker closed down onto the conversion device;

FIG. 2B illustrates a close-up, sectional view of the FIG. 2Aillustration to demonstrate thermal energy and smoke management when anembodiment of the solution is coupled to a kamado-style cooker;

FIG. 3 is a top-side, perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of akamado cooker pizza oven conversion device shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a top-side, perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of akamado cooker pizza oven conversion device shown in FIG. 1 , with apizza stone suspended in the center space of the device;

FIG. 5 is a left-side, elevation view of the exemplary embodiment of akamado cooker pizza oven conversion device of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 6 is the view of a kamado cooker pizza oven conversion device shownin the FIG. 4 , illustrated with a portion of the pizza stone cutaway toshow a lower heat deflector plate;

FIG. 7A is the view of a kamado cooker pizza oven conversion deviceshown in the FIG. 4 , illustrated with the pizza stone removed to fullyexpose a lower heat deflector plate; and

FIG. 7B is a sectional view of the FIG. 6 illustration to demonstratethe spatial relationship of the pizza stone with the lower heatdeflector plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments, aspects and features of the present inventionencompass a device and method for conversion of a kamado-style cooker(e.g., a KamadoJoe® cooker or a Big Green Egg® cooker) into a pizzaoven.

In this description, the terms “kamado cooker,” “kamado-style cooker”and the like are used interchangeably to refer to a cooker devicecommonly used for grilling and smoking food and constructed from aceramic and/or a refractory material and/or a terra cotta clay and/or acomposition of cement and lava rock. A common feature of a kamado cookeris that the overall shape is ovoid or “egg-like” such that the lid of atypical kamado-style cooker defines a domed interior space over acooking grate. Notably, even though embodiments of the solution aredescribed and illustrated in this description within the context of a“typical” kamado-style cooker having an ovoid body and ceramic materialsof construction, it is envisioned that embodiments of the solution maybe implemented in association with other barbecue grill designs such as,but not limited to, a kettle-styled grill (e.g., a Weber® grill) and, assuch, it will be understood that the scope of the solution disclosedherein is not limited to application with a traditional or typicalkamado-style cooker.

Also, in this description, the term “pizza oven” is used to refer to acategory of retained heat ovens, often of a permanent installation,commonly used for cooking pizzas, flatbreads, and the like. As would beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art of pizza ovens, a typicalpizza oven includes a cement-based hearth surface upon which both a fireis fueled and food is cooked. An open “mouth” with a landing providesaccess to the hearth surface over which a dome of refractory materialdefines an interior cooking space. A flue integrated into the dome drawscool air into the cooking space from the mouth and, in turn, the airbecomes heated as it circulates within the oven and around the foodbefore exiting through the flue. As would be understood by one ofordinary skill in the art of pizza ovens, the temperature of a pizzaoven may be controlled by a combination of fueling the fire on thehearth surface and damping the circulating air flow. As will becomeclear from a review of the attached illustrations and the followingdescription, embodiments of the solution provide for conversion ormodification of a kamado-style cooker into an oven that incorporatesfeatures and functionality typically found in pizza ovens.

In this description, use of the term “pizza” is not meant to suggestthat embodiments of the solution are limited in application to cooking apizza. As such, it will be understood that the use of “pizza” in thisdescription is in a general manner and meant to refer to any foodprepared by baking.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a kamado cooker pizza ovenconversion device 100 according to the solution, shown installed on akamado cooker 200 with an open lid 210. As can be understood from theFIG. 1 illustration, with the lid 210 of the cooker 200 open, the device100 may be seated or nested within the main body 205 of the cooker 200such that the device 100 is positioned over a thermal energy and smokesource, such as a pile of combusting charcoal briquettes, located withinthe body 205 of cooker 200, as would be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art. As will be better seen and understood from subsequentfigures, the device 100 may be configured to suspend a pizza stone, orsome other plate or cooking surface, as well as a heat deflector platein some embodiments, over and above the aforementioned fire source.

Turning now to the FIG. 2A illustration, the exemplary embodiment shownin FIG. 1 can be seen with the lid 210 of the kamado cooker 200 closeddown onto the conversion device 100 such that the lid 210 is seatedalong a top surface or lip of the device 100. In this state, it isadvantageous that the device 100 gives a user access to the interiorcooking space via a “mouth” or “window” or “doorway” (more clearlyunderstood from the FIG. 5 illustration). The body 205 of the cooker 200accommodates the thermal energy source such that heat and smoke rise uptoward the device 100 by virtue of being urged with air flow throughdamper 215 and mouth 120 and out flue 220. As the thermal energy andsmoke rise, the pizza stone suspended by device 100 heats up andprovides a means for conducting thermal energy to any food (such as apizza) located on the top of the pizza stone. The pizza stone is similarto the hearth of a pizza oven, as would be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art.

Moreover, and as will be better understood from subsequent figures andthe related description, additional heat and smoke is allowed to passthrough a series of distribution ports 123 around the perimeter of thedevice 100 such that air entering through the mouth of the device 100may be heated and combined with the smoke as it circulates within thedome-shaped cooking space defined by the kamado cooker lid 210 toprovide a convective source of cooking energy (notably, andadvantageously, thermal energy radiating from the lid 210 may contributeto heating of circulating air in the cooking space).

Further, and as can be seen and understood from the FIGS. 2A and 2Billustrations, the device 100 prevents the lid 210 from closing ontobody 205 but, rather, provides a seating surface for receiving the lid210. In this way, when the lid 210 is closed down onto the device 100,the sidewalls and overall wedge shape of the device 100 work in concertwith the cooker body 205 and lid 210 to define the interior cookingspace over and around any pizza stone suspended in device 100. At thesame time, an open access to the interior cooking space is providedthrough the doorway/mouth of the device 100. Advantageously, a heatshield or “duck bill” 108 (better seen in FIGS. 3-5 ) mitigates anddiverts thermal energy emanating from the interior cooking space fromany handle of lid 210. And, a lower heat deflector plate(s) 131suspended beneath the pizza stone 130 operates to prevent the pizzastone 130 from getting too hot such that a pizza may be burned beforeit's completely cooked.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2B, illustrated is a close-up, sectionalview of the FIG. 2A illustration to demonstrate thermal energy and smokemanagement when an embodiment of the solution is coupled to akamado-style cooker. As can be seen and understood from the FIG. 2Billustration, thermal energy rising from within the body 205 of thecooker 200 passes through the lower heat deflector plate 131 before itcontacts the pizza stone 130 and raises its temperature—the hot pizzastone 130 may then contribute to the cooking of a pizza atop its surfacevia conductive heat transfer. Advantageously, however, the heatdeflector plate 131 may impede or slow thermal energy transfer so thatthe pizza stone 130 maintains an optimal temperature for cooking.Thermal energy and smoke also rises up and through the ports 123 of thestructure 122, urged by a motive force largely attributable toleveraging of the damper 215 and the flue 220 and air pulled in throughthe window 120. Notably, although the FIG. 2B illustration shows airbeing pulled into the cooking space 150 from damper 215 and window 120before exiting through flue 220, it is envisioned that embodiments ofthe solution may be used by closing off damper 215—in such aconfiguration, air may enter the kamado cooker through damper 215, riseup through ports 123 of structure 112, and circulate within the cookingspace 150 before exiting through window 120.

Returning to the FIG. 2B illustration, the air and smoke is allowed tocirculate within the cooking space 150 above the pizza stone and beneaththe domed lid 210 of the cooker 200 and, in doing so, is further heatedvia thermal energy radiating from the body 205 and lid 210 (as would betrue whether the air flow is as is depicted in the FIG. 2B illustrationor as described above with flue 220 closed). The heated air and smoke,before exiting the cooking space 150 via flue 220 (or via window 120 ifflue 220 is closed), also contributes to the cooking effort via aconvective thermal energy transfer.

Turning now to FIGS. 3-5 , the exemplary embodiment of a kamado cookerpizza oven conversion device 100 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be shownand described in more detail. FIG. 3 is a top-side, perspective view ofthe device 100. FIG. 4 is a top-side, perspective view of the device 100with a pizza stone placed/suspended in its center space. And, FIG. 5 isa left-side, elevation view of the exemplary kamado cooker pizza ovenconversion device 100.

Describing the various views of the device 100 illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, it can be seen and understood that the device 100 forms an overallwedge-like shape. Advantageously, when installed in a kamado-stylecooker, or some other grill or smoker, the device 100, by virtue of itswedge-like shape, positions the lid of the cooker in a partially openedstate such that the sides 110 and body of the device 100 cooperate withthe cooker body and lid to define an interior cooking space. To seal offthe interior cooking space, the device 100 seats with the cooker bodyalong its lower edge 106 while seating with the lid of the cooker alongits upper edge 105. A lower lip 107 is configured to nest within aninner diameter defined by the cooker body to prevent the device 100 fromshifting. When installed in a cooker, the lower edge 106 may besubstantially parallel to the ground, as is the upper edge of the cookerbody, while the upper edge 105 defines a plane that is set at an angleto the ground. The angle of the upper edge 105 defines the degree of theoverall wedge-like shape of the device 100. It is envisioned thatdifferent embodiments of the solution may feature different angles and,as such, the exemplary embodiment of a kamado cooker pizza ovenconversion device 100 shown in the figures will not suggest, orotherwise limit, the scope of the solution.

A pair of handle features, 111L and 111R, may be positioned on theexterior of the sidewall 110 such that the device may be easily placedin, and removed from, a cooker. Viewing the device 100 from its top, itcan be seen that the device 100 takes an overall circular form(wedge-like when viewed from the side) and defines an open center area.Within the interior of the device 100, extending circumferentially, is asmoke and thermal energy distribution structure 122 that includes aplurality of ports 123. Extending further into the center area from theinnermost diameter defined by the smoke and thermal energy distributionstructure 122 is a series of pizza stone support tabs 114A, 114B, 114Cand 114D. Notably, although the exemplary embodiment includes four pizzastone support tabs 114, it is envisioned that other embodiments of thesolution may include more, or less, than four tabs 114. Also extendinginto the center area from the innermost diameter defined by the smokeand thermal energy distribution structure 122 is a series of heatdeflector plate(s) support tabs 116 (tabs 116A and 116B can be seen inthe FIG. 3 illustration). The heat deflector support tabs 116 are lowerthan, or beneath, the pizza stone support tabs 114 such that a heatdeflector plate(s) placed on the support tabs 116 will be positionedbeneath a pizza stone placed on the support tabs 114.

When in use, a pizza stone 130, or some other cooking surface, may reston the support tabs 114 such that it is suspended over a heat deflectorplate 131 that is, in turn, suspended over a thermal energy and smokesource (e.g., a combusting charcoal pile) in the cooker body 205. Wheninstalled in this way, the pizza stone 130 functions similar to a hearthin a traditional pizza oven. It is an advantage of embodiments of thesolution that the pizza stone 130 is suspended over the heat source (andthe deflector plate(s) 131, if present) without having to rest on acooking grate. The pizza stone 130 may be easily grasped and removed viaone or more cutout features 115L and 115R in the structure 122.

The device 100 further comprises an oven landing feature 125 and a heatshield 108. The oven landing feature 125 forms the lower surface of anopen mouth or open door 120 while the heat shield 108 extends out overthe open door 120. Advantageously, a pizza or some other food item maybe inserted into the cooking space, and rested on the pizza stone 130,by and through the open door 120. Also, cool air may be drawn into thecooking space through doorway 120, circulated within the cooking spaceto absorb heat, and expelled through the flue 220 of the cooker 200.Alternatively, with flue 220 closed or sufficiently dampened, cool airmay be drawn in through the damper in the cooker body, heat up and riseinto the cooking space through ports 123, circulate in the cookingspace, and exit through doorway 120.

At the rear of the open middle space defined by the smoke and thermalenergy distribution structure 122 for accommodating the pizza stone 130and deflector plate(s) 131, the device 100 may include a verticalbackstop feature 113 useful for preventing a user from pushing a pizzaor other food item off the back of the pizza stone 130. With the device100 installed in a cooker 200 (with the cooker lid 210 seated along thetop edge 105 of the device 100), and a pizza stone 130 in place restingon the tabs 114, thermal energy and smoke generated from within thecooker body 205 may rise up and through the various ports 123 in thesmoke and thermal energy distribution structure 122. Thermal energy mayalso be transferred by and through the heating of the pizza stone 130.With thermal energy conducting through the pizza stone 130, and thermalenergy and smoke rising up through the ports 123 to enter the cookingspace defined by the device 100 and dome lid 210, and doorway 120providing user access to any pizza or other food residing on pizza stone130, the device 100 provides for a kamado-style cooker to function andperform like a traditional pizza oven.

Turning now to FIGS. 6, 7A and 7B, the exemplary embodiment of a kamadocooker pizza oven conversion device 100 depicted in the previous figureswill be shown and described in a little more detail. FIG. 6 is the viewof a kamado cooker pizza oven conversion device 100 shown in the FIG. 4, illustrated with a portion of the pizza stone 130 cutaway to show alower heat deflector plate 131. FIG. 7A is the view of a kamado cookerpizza oven conversion device 100 shown in the FIG. 4 , illustrated withthe pizza stone 130 removed to fully expose the lower heat deflectorplate 131. And, FIG. 7B is a sectional view of the FIG. 6 illustrationto demonstrate the spatial relationship of the pizza stone 130 with thelower heat deflector plate 131.

As can possibly be best understood from the FIGS. 6, 7A and 7Billustrations, the lower heat deflector plate 131 may be in the form oftwo sections. Whether a single piece, or multiple sections, the heatdeflector plate 131 seats on top of a series of support tabs 116, aspreviously described. The support tabs 116 present a seating surface forthe heat deflector plate(s) 131 that is lower than, or beneath, theseating surface presented by support tabs 114 for pizza stone 130. It isenvisioned that the heat deflector plate 131 may be in the form ofsections, shown semi-circular in the exemplary embodiment, so that itcan be easily and efficiently removed and installed into the device 110beneath tabs 114. Advantageously, and as previously explained, the heatdeflector plate(s) 131 present a thermal barrier between the thermalenergy source and the pizza stone 130 such that the pizza stone may notoverheat to such an extent that it is no longer optimal for cooking.Even so, the scope of the solution is not limited such that allembodiments of a device 100 will necessarily include a heat deflectorplate(s) 131.

A kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device according to thesolution has been described using detailed descriptions of embodimentsthereof that are provided by way of example and are not intended tolimit the scope of the disclosure. The described embodiments comprisedifferent features, not all of which are required in all embodiments ofa kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device according to thesolution. Some embodiments of the solution utilize only some of thefeatures or possible combinations of the features. Variations ofembodiments of the solution that are described and embodiments of thesolution comprising different combinations of features noted in thedescribed embodiments will occur to persons of the art.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that a kamado-stylecooker pizza oven conversion device according to the solution is notlimited by what has been particularly shown and described herein above.Rather, the scope of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion deviceaccording to the solution is defined by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversiondevice, comprising: a substantially vertical surface comprising an upperedge and a lower edge and defining an outer diameter and an innerdiameter, and a lower lip, wherein: an open doorway is defined in thesubstantially vertical surface, the upper edge defines a first planethat intersects a second plane defined by the lower edge such that thekamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device defines an overallwedge-like shape that is operable to fit between a body portion of akamado-style cooker and a lid portion hinged to the body portion, whenthe lower edge is seated on the top edge of the body portion and thehinged lid portion is seated on the upper edge; the lower edge consistsof a substantially flat surface having a width that is equal to or lessthan a width of a gasket associated with the top edge of the bodyportion of the kamado-style cooker; the lower lip is configured to nestwithin the body portion of the kamado-style cooker; and when the loweredge is seated on the top edge of the body portion of the kamado-stylecooker and the hinged lid portion of the kamado-style cooker is seatedon the upper edge, the body portion, lid portion and substantiallyvertical surface define an enclosed cooking space such that a food itemmay be inserted into the enclosed cooking space through the opendoorway; and a pizza stone positioned within the enclosed cooking space.2. The kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device of claim 1,wherein the kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device furthercomprises a plurality of pizza stone support tabs extending into theenclosed cooking space.
 3. The kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversiondevice of claim 1, wherein the kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversiondevice further comprises a thermal energy and smoke distributionstructure residing within the inner diameter of the substantiallyvertical surface and further defining an innermost diameter.
 4. Thekamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device of claim 3, wherein thekamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device further comprises aplurality of heat deflector plate support tabs extending from thethermal energy and smoke distribution structure into the space definedby the innermost diameter and beneath the pizza stone support tabs. 5.The kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device of claim 4, furthercomprising a heat deflector plate seated on the plurality of deflectorplate support tabs.
 6. The kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversiondevice of claim 5, wherein the heat deflector plate is comprised of twopieces.
 7. The kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device of claim1, further comprising a heat shield feature extending over the opendoorway.
 8. The kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device ofclaim 1, wherein the kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion devicefurther comprises an oven landing defining a lower surface of the opendoorway, the oven landing residing within the inner diameter.
 9. Thekamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device of claim 1, wherein thekamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device further comprises avertical backstop feature configured to assist manipulation of a fooditem residing on the pizza stone.
 10. The kamado-style cooker pizza ovenconversion device of claim 1, wherein the kamado-style cooker pizza ovenconversion device further comprises a lower lip extending beneath thelower edge and configured to nest within the body portion of thekamado-style cooker.
 11. A kamado-style cooker pizza oven system, thesystem comprising: means for defining a cooking space within akamado-style cooker such that a hinged lid of the kamado-style cooker isseated at an angle relative to a lower body portion of the kamado-stylecooker; means for defining an innermost diameter; means for supporting apizza stone within a space defined by the innermost diameter; means forproviding access to the cooking space such that the lid remains seated;means for seating along the top edge of a body portion of a kamado-stylecooker; and means for nesting within the body portion of thekamado-style cooker such that the system is prevented from shiftingduring use.
 12. The kamado-style cooker pizza oven system of claim 11,further comprising means for distributing thermal energy and smokewithin the inner diameter of the substantially vertical surface andfurther defining an innermost diameter.
 13. The kamado-style cookerpizza oven system of claim 11, further comprising means for supporting aheat deflector plate beneath the pizza stone.
 14. The kamado-stylecooker pizza oven system of claim 13, further comprising a heatdeflector plate seated on the means for supporting a heat deflectorplate beneath the pizza stone.
 15. The kamado-style cooker pizza ovensystem of claim 14, wherein the heat deflector plate is comprised of twopieces.
 16. The kamado-style cooker pizza oven system of claim 11,further comprising a means for shielding a user from thermal energyemanating from the open doorway.
 17. The kamado-style cooker pizza ovensystem of claim 11, further comprising a means for an oven landingwithin the open doorway.
 18. The kamado-style cooker pizza oven systemof claim 11, further comprising a means for a vertical backstop featureconfigured to assist manipulation of a food item residing on the pizzastone.